Useful information

Visa and customs

You need a valid passport to enter Ukraine. Citizens of the United States, European Union, Swiss Confederation, Liechtenstein, Canada, and Japan do not need visas for entering Ukraine anymore. The rule is valid for short term visits, up to 90 days. However, for the reconfirmation, we would recommend to look over the WEB-page of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine before travelling. If you need a visa, you cannot get it at the airport or at the border, please get it in advance at a Ukrainian Embassy or Consulate.

When entering or leaving Ukraine, one should proceed either through the "green" or "red" customs corridors. All documents that one receives and fills out when going through customs should be saved – they are needed when leaving the country.

"Red" corridors are for people carrying goods or cash that must be declared:
– any prohibited items, such as explosives and weapons (except gas and hunting weapons officially approved by Ukrainian authorities), drugs, artwork, antiques, and luggage sent separately;
– more than $3,000 in cash;
– personal jewelry with value exceeding $240;
– more than 1 liter of alcoholic beverages;
– more than 200 grams of tobacco products.

"Green" corridors are for those people who do not have any goods to declare.

In order to ensure that all foreign citizens who are temporarily staying in Ukraine are provided with the opportunity to receive the emergency aid, foreigners who are temporarily staying in the country should have insurance policies that guarantee the payment for any medical aid provided to them. These insurance policies can be purchased from the State JSC for Providing the Foreign Citizens with Emergency Aid and other places where visas are processed or when crossing the state border.

Money and exchange

The monetary unit of the present-day Ukraine is hryvnia. USD and EURO are the most popular currencies in exchange booths. Other currencies are more difficult to exchange and have lower rates due to minor circulation in Ukraine. Money can be exchanged at banks, exchange desks at hotels, shops or licensed exchange windows. Passport is not required for exchange operations. Exchange rate might differ from the official National Bank of Ukraine rate. VISA, MasterCard / EuroCard are accepted in major hotels, restaurants, casinos, stores, ATM's.

Languages and communication

The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian. Many people speak Russian, some understand Romanian and Polish. In case if your rest is organized by a tourist firm you may foresee the interpreter's services. The staff of the most hotels and resort centers can speak English.

The rooms of most hotels are equipped with telephone connection. Restaurants, cafes, hotel halls, central streets of the cities are equipped with automatic telephone, which is used by means of a telephone card bought at the hotel or at the post office. The international telephone code of Ukraine is +38. There is also mobile communication of GSM standard.

Bukovinian cuisine

Varenyky – sometimes known as halushky, are small boiled dumplings made with rolled dough and filled with a special type of potato and cheese or some other filling. Almost all restaurants serve them, usually with either cheese or meat, and almost always with sour cream or a buttery sauce.

Borshch – the red beetroot soup, which has also been adopted by other Slavic cultures, borsch is based on a beet and mixed vegetable broth that comes in dozens of varieties. The most popular version is a clear broth, but sour cream is often added.

Holubtsi – translated as "little doves", are cabbage rolls stuffed with seasoned rice and meat or buckwheat. The dish is usually topped with a tomato-based sauce.

Banusz – a dish prepared from cornmeal with added sour cream, topped with pork rind, mushrooms and bryndza (product of a sheep milk cheese with strong smell and taste). The dish is popular in the Carpathian region of Ukraine and in Romania.